Smartest Cities and Rental Drops

Posted on June 3, 2010 by LucyB

The largest and second smartest city.

Data released listing college degrees per square mile make San Francisco and New York by far the most educated cities with 7,031 and 6,357, respectively. Also in the top 10 were Boston, Washington, Seattle (which also had the greatest drop in rental price last year), Chicago, Minneapolis, Providence, Philadelphia, and Miami. The entire list can be found here.

This data can be somewhat misleading according to size; the top 2 also have some of the country’s highest population density. Clearly, a smart city can be overshadowed if it lacks the community that allows for smart people to work together. County and city borders differ, which is demonstrated by the smartest county graphs.

If you want to move, now is a great time. Real estate is still cheap, and hasn’t recovered the ground it lost during the recession. Cities like San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco all experienced rental drops close to 10%, which means that apartment living in these large areas hasn’t been this affordable for a long time.

All I know is that I can’t wait for the new Census figures to come out. There’s a lot of difference between cities and their metropolitan area, and in determining where to move, both figures should be examined.

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Top 5 NY Neighborhoods

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Sarah

1. L.E.S.: Right in the heart of downtown Manhattan, this neighborhood has the galleries, convenience, and fun that make it one of the most livable neighborhoods. Granted, it’s not great if you’re looking to settle down and yes it’s pretty pricey, but as far as funky Manhattan neighborhoods go, this is the West Village of the 21st century.

2. Greenpoint: Cheaper (and safer) than Williamsburg, and just as hip, Greenpoint is a great locale for those who want to live in Brooklyn, but don’t want to be scared when they walk home at night. It’s off the G train, which is still sorting out its issues, but a commute to midtown Manhattan is easy when you transfer to the 7.

3. BoCoCa: (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens) Close to downtown Brooklyn and its vast transportation hub, these three distinct neighborhoods are all hidden gems. Court St and Smith St are cafe laden and cool. The apartments aren’t nearly as expensive as in Brooklyn Heights. What’s not to love?

4.  Park Slope: Right in the heart of Brooklyn, this trend setting area has tons of life, green space, and safety. It’s close to a number of trains, and the bang for the buck housing is great.

5. Murray Hill: Traditionally the place for people who have always wanted to live in New York (i.e. college postgrads and kids from Kansas) this neighborhood has more than just bars and beer. Curry Hill (28th and Lex.) and tons of restaurants draw some ethnic diversity into the mix. And did I mention it’s actually affordable?

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Buy Now for Summer Travel. Upgrade?

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Sarah

If you want to travel this summer, or move, now is the time to buy your airline tickets. Whereas last year, and even in 2008, you could score a cheap ticket by waiting until the last minute, this year airlines have regained the upper hand.

Smaller U.S. cities like Norfolk, VA, Cleveland, San Jose, and even Philadelphia are experiencing large bumps in the prices of their tickets, some more than 35% of what they were last year.

Plus, many airlines are taking advantage not just of customer’s bags, but the desire for extra room on a flight. The added fees can range from $10 on shorter flights to $40 on longer flights.

But there’s always the possibility of switching to a seat with extra leg room without paying any added fees.  Southwest Airlines charges $10 to check in early, which usually results in an early boarding. But sometimes, especially on flights that aren’t full, you can switch for free.

Having an aisle or window seat closer to the front of the plane is a small benefit that many customers are comfortable paying for.  These added fees for small improvements in one’s travel experience are no big deal to many, especially if it offers the added comfort of peace of mind.

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Need Work? Move to Williston, ND.

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Sarah

Williston, ND is a small town roughly 40 miles from the Canadian border. Although you may not have heard of it before, Williston is home to the nation’s largest boom in employment. Oil rigs constantly pump the Williston basin, a huge expanse reaching from Northern Saskatchewan all the way into South Dakota.  Last August the rigs broke ground. Today, the oil companies are hiring by the hundreds, as people from all over the Rocky Mountain and Western states flock here looking for work.

The problem is that there simply isn’t enough housing for these folks. The last time this happened, in the early 80′s, the boom brought more than 5,000 people moved into a town of just 12,000. When they left, the population declined to its original level. The result was a huge debt for the small city. Today, officials are afraid of the same thing happening. Mancamps are used to house those workers without a home. Others book motel rooms by the month. One thing’s for sure, although there may not be a nice place to settle down, there sure is a lot of opportunity to work and if you have an RV, this is a great place to camp.

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Looking for a Job? Maybe You Should Move

Posted on April 13, 2010 by Sarah

While the job report for college grads still looks grim, there are signs that it is improving from a year ago. Many people are taking the jump and looking for work in new areas of the country. Most employers are more willing to hire locally, in order to cut cost and risk, while supporting the local area. 58% of companies have cut back their corporate relocation program, and 17% of companies have done away with it entirely.

Hot areas are large to medium sized cities, especially those in the northwest, like Seattle and Portland, and the central southeast, like Austin, Dallas, and Atlanta. Sometimes, moving from a larger city to a smaller one, like from New York to Charlotte, can prove beneficial. Lots of employers appreciate the experience garnered in a certain region of the country because it offers a more diverse perspective in their line of work.

If you want to move across country, it may be a good idea to go somewhere with family or friends and use their address in your interview. Being local for the interview can greatly improve your chances of landing a job in a new place, especially if you are still flirting with the idea of a cross country move.

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Best Public Transit Cities

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Sarah

With gas prices for regular unleaded at $2.83 this month, more than 80 cents higher than a year ago, it might be time to start thinking about public transportation. When you add in the cost of public  parking and insurance you’re looking at a costly drive to work. New York saves its commuters an average of $1149 per month, which computes to more than $13,000 a year! Whether it’s a bus, tram, subway or streetcar, public transportation is a great way to save money on your commute. Here are the top 20 cities that save their denizens the most money:

1. New York $1,149
2. Boston $1,032
3. San Francisco $1,015
4. Chicago $955
5. Seattle $938
6. Philadelphia $928
7. Honolulu $894
8. Los Angeles $839
9. San Diego $827
10. Minneapolis $826
11. Denver $804
12. Portland $803
13. Cleveland $803
14. Baltimore $786
15. Washington $757
16. Miami $754
17. Dallas $736
18. Atlanta $724
19. Las Vegas $719
20. Pittsburgh $681

While public transportation can sometimes be a hassle, with a lack of cell phone service, sardine packed subway rides and delays and waits, it still beats the traffic you see on the highway. While some cities are cutting service and hiking prices, others are opening new lines and routes. And if none of this public transportation business floats your boat, and you live within a few miles and don’t mind getting a little sweaty, nothing beats a bike.

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Top 4 Beaches for the Summer

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Sarah

Outer Banks, NC

Spring is the time for moving – in more ways than one. If you’re anything like me, you want to spend the summer by the beach. Why not move? Here are the top beaches for the summertime.

1. Outer Banks, NC: This gorgeous stretch of beach is part of 130 miles of buttressed islands off the coast of North Carolina. If you are looking for a summertime spot that you won’t want to leave, and you have the cash to spend, this beach is for you.

2. Naples, FL: This funky little town on the Gulf of Mexico has apartment rentals galore, and the summer heat is never better beat than with the wind waving your hair as you sit beach side.

3. Cannon Beach, OR: This beach is a little cooler, but no less impressive. Huge rocky bluffs overlook the Pacific and the town itself is perfect for exploring or hanging out. Don’t forget about surfing in gorgeous Ecola State Park.

4. Waikiki, HI: Speaking of surfing, this spectacular beach is one of the world’s premier surf spots. It’s also in the middle of the Pacific, which means isolation, relaxation and stunning beach weather – all year round.

The U.S. has more than 5,000 miles of coastline. It’s just a matter of where you want to go!

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Obama Helps Home Owners

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Sarah

The White House released a statement today saying that it would be helping to lower mortgage payments by backing those who are in need. These new measures are geared towards resolving the foreclosure crisis, potentially helping home owners who have loans for more money than their homes are worth.

The Administration avowed that no new tax money would be used to aide, and that the funds would be drawn from the $50 billion in the Troubled Asset Relief Program.  About a fifth of the households with mortgages in the U.S., roughly 11 million, are in the position to benefit from having a government backed loan. Many refinanced their homes before the housing bubble burst, while others just bought at the acme of home prices. Today these people are “underwater,” meaning they owe more than they are worth.

This proposal also helps the unemployed through requiring lenders to forgive debts for a few months for those receiving unemployment assistance.

To keep foreclosures down, the government is attempting to realign mortgages with asset values.  Last quarter, foreclosures were up 9% to more than a quarter of a million.

This new deal is supposed to balance and stabilize the housing market in order to effectively end the recession.

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Alternative Homes

Posted on March 19, 2010 by Sarah

In many Western states, alternative methods of building homes have been popping up.  A man in Colorado used over 50 tons of paper and cardboard from Coors beer to insulate his home. Another man used 17,000 tires to construct his house. Using trash likes cans, plastic bottles and other junkyard stuff, they clogged the tires and went over them with stucco and concrete. The resulting appearance is relatively normal; you cannot tell that the home is made from trash. This picture was taken during the house’s construction.

Unfortunately, many banks refuse to give these innovative builders the mortgages necessary to finance the cost of building their homes. Such unorthodox methods lead to difficulty in finding appraisals, which the banks take to be a sign of an inability to sell the loan to investors, making the credit union keep the loan without a payoff.

Part of this is because of new mortgage rules enacted last year by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The rules prevent mortgage brokers and real estate agents from intervening in the appraisal process. The government backed finance giants account for more than 70% of mortages around the country.  Builders of odd homes may still have trouble getting loans, at least until the recession is over.


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Speed Limits Rise Across Nation

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Sarah

Many states are upping their speed limit due to renewed reactions against government control. Virginia is the latest state to boost speed limits from 65 to 70 m.p.h. in rural areas. Tom Tom Inc., a GPS company, has released research showing the average  speed of drivers on interstate routes. Mississippi has the highest speed of 70.1 m.p.h. and Washington D.C. has the lowest — 46.4 m.p.h. When given a stretch of open highway, most Americans tend to do about 70 anyway with their powerful, safe cars.

While many large open states like Utah, Idaho and South Dakota have long had speed limits of up to 75 or 80 m.p.h., the boost in more populated eastern states comes in part from record low highway fatalities, a 2009 figure of 33,963, the lowest since records began in 1954. The Federal Highway Administration estimates however, that almost a third of those deaths come from speed related incidents.

Back in the early 70′s a national speed limit of 55 m.p.h. was imposed, but ever since 1995, when a Republican Congress repealed the limit, states have been raising their highway speeds. While some believe that a potential summer hike in gas prices may force slower driving for energy conservation, Virginia’s recent action suggests just the opposite.

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